Shalom,
Psalm 141 is another Psalm of David, written when he was in danger. David always knew where to turn for help, even when he missed it himself! He would receive the correction from the LORD and then move on in confidence of God's delivering power! I enjoyed reading this one in several Bible Translations this time. Here are verses 3-5a in the Message Bible:
3 Post a guard at my mouth, GOD, set a watch at the door of my lips. 4 Don't let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company. And these people who only do wrong -- don't let them lure me with their sweet talk! 5a may the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me,
We really do need to watch our eyes and ears to control what goes in, because we are instructed in Proverbs 4:23 to do this:
23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for our of it flow the springs of life.
What goes IN through our eyes and ears will eventually come OUT of our mouths! Guard them! AMEN! Verse 2 in the Amplified Bible says:
2 Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
I love how this verse was put to song by Hillsong in "Like Incense":
John 1:4-5:
4 In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. 5 And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].
"Life" in these verses is the Greek word "Zoe", which means: of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belong to God; life in the absolute sense, life as God has it, that which the Father has in Himself, and which he gave to the Incarnate Son to have in Himself, and which the Son manifested in the world.
WE have that same life IN us, as believers in Jesus of Nazareth! And this Life brings the Light that exposes all darkness! Here is a new song from Hillsong United called "Light Will Shine". Double click to listen on You Tube and see the lyrics!
In 1 Samuel 8, we see that even Samuel, who grew up around the Word of God and heard the voice of God at a young age, did not have children that walked in the ways of God! Verse 1, 3-5:
1 WHEN SAMUEL was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 3 His sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4 All the elders of Israel assembled and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 And said to him, behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint us a king to rule over us like all the other nations.
They wanted a king so they could be like all the other nations! They wanted to "fit in"! The One, True God was their King, and they wanted a natural king instead! God warned them through Samuel just how domineering a king would be and how much freedom they would be giving up, but they were stubborn! Sounds just like the Israelites we've come to know, doesn't it? We'll see how this all works out as we continue in 1 Samuel!
Shalom in Him!
